The local “mom-owned” business Kiln & Co. has relocated its main store to a new spot on Church Street in Vienna.
After more than seven years at 138 Church Street NW, the pottery/frozen custard shop reopened on July 2 at 115 Church Street, the space previously occupied by Church Street Pizza, which moved around the corner to a Maple Avenue address earlier this year.
Sarah Selvaraj, who started Kiln & Co. in 2013 as a pottery shop, says the relocation was one of several changes to the business brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“COVID was a challenge for us like many small businesses,” Selvaraj said. “When the inside of the studio was closed, we had to get creative in order to still be able to serve our customer base.”
In addition to downsizing to the smaller Vienna venue, Kiln & Co. sold its Reston location. Selvaraj confirmed that the Lake Anne Plaza store has closed permanently, though it is listed as just “closed for the season” on the company’s website.
When the pandemic shut most retail businesses down in the spring of 2020, Kiln & Co. created a monthly subscription service and a delivery service for custard and do-it-yourself pottery kits.
While Kiln & Co. is now open again for walk-in customers at its Vienna and Falls Church (455 South Maple Avenue) studios, staff are still required to wear masks at all times, and the business is “following all of the CDC guidelines to provide a safe environment for all,” Selvaraj says.
Details for a grand opening celebration for the new Vienna location on Sept. 6 will be announced through the company’s social media.
“We are now right off of the bike path making it easy for people to stop in to enjoy some custard and the space gives us the perfect amount of room for our studio as well as a separate area for classes, birthday parties and events,” Selvaraj said.
Lidl will officially open its new store at Merrifield Plaza this coming Wednesday (June 30), the grocery retailer announced today (Friday).
Located at 2901 Gallows Road, the store will operate from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week. It took over a 30,000 square-foot space that had been occupied by Office Depot until that company’s lease ran out at the end of 2020.
“I welcome Lidl to the Merrifield area and look forward to the grand opening,” Providence District Supervisor Dalia Palchik said in a statement. “I am confident that this new Lidl store will serve the local community and join the diverse businesses representing our vibrant community here in the Providence District of Fairfax County.”
According to a press release, the grand opening celebration will kick off with a ribbon-cutting ceremony from 7 to 7:30 a.m.
The first 100 customers will receive a gift card that could range in value from $5 to $100 each. There will also be a raffle for a $500 Lidl gift card and “special giveaways,” the press release says.
As part of a partnership with Capital Area Food Bank, Lidl says that, for the first five days of operations, it will donate 50 cents to the food bank for every customer who signs up for a myLidl membership and sets the new Merrifield store as their home store.
The Merrifield Plaza store is Lidl’s first in the Tysons area. Currently, the closest locations are on Lee Highway near Fairfax City and Pinecrest Plaza in Annandale.
A Lidl spokesperson confirmed to Tysons Reporter in March that the chain is planning to move into the building on Chain Bridge Road in McLean that Safeway vacated on April 30.
The Wegmans in Tysons (1835 Capital One Drive South) will have a soft opening next Wednesday (Nov. 4) at 9 a.m.
“We’re super excited,” Wegmans Tysons service area manager Matt Collalto said. “Tysons is an up-and-coming area. People here have shopped sporadically at a Wegmans and wanted one nearby.”
Fairfax County’s fourth Wegmans is open from 6 a.m. to midnight. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Wegmans is foregoing a grand opening for the mid-morning first day of business.
“We wanted to put more thought into our opening, focusing on our customers and employees,” Collalto said.
The company sees room for opportunity in the D.C.-Virginia area, Collalto said. After the Wegmans in Tysons opens on Wednesday, one is slated to open in May 2022 on Wisconsin Avenue in Georgetown. Wegmans is looking to open a store in Reston in the future, he said.
The Tysons Wegmans has three levels of below-ground parking with escalators leading into the store, which will avoid the ongoing construction of the Capital One Hall.
Customers will be greeted by dining options galore, with seating for nearly 200 people in the 80,000 square-foot store.
The Buzz Coffee Shop offers breakfast sandwiches and organic specialty coffee, tea, and espresso drinks. True coffee aficionados will appreciate the pour-over, French press, and nitro brew options, Collalto said.
The fast-casual Burger Bar serves burgers, sandwiches and fries. A Japanese-inspired bar features sushi, cocktails, wine, sake, and beer. Individual hot food options, which Collalto calls the “street stop” section, are just around the corner.
The “street food”-style preparation responds to the COVID-19 pandemic, with improved quality and hygiene, he said. While some COVID-19 precautions may go away, the decision to close buffets may stay, he said.
“Instead of big, massive hot bars, we’re specializing the food,” he said. “COVID has opened our eyes to a lot of things.”
High-contact touchpoints are sanitized frequently and hand-sanitizer stations are available throughout the store. Cashiers sanitize their workspace and hands in between customers, and Plexiglas shields separate cashiers and employees from customers.
Customers also have options for contactless shopping. They can shop online for curbside pickup or delivery to their door, and the prepared foods can be ordered through the store’s Meals 2Go app.
The SCAN app allows customers to scan and bag their groceries in-store for a contactless experience.
Picking up on consumer trends, Wegmans is focusing on organics, sustainable practices, and specialty items.
Shelves increasingly bear products with the private Wegmans label, particularly those designated as “Food You Feel Good About.” This means they are free of preservatives, additives, and artificial colors, manager Kevin Russell said.
Wegmans also has a goal of diverting 80% of waste from the landfill, either into recycling or composting, Collalto said. Consumable produce, dairy, and other perishables are donated to Food For Others.
“We have a responsibility to enrich the neighborhood the best way we can,” Collalto said.
As for specialty foods, the Tysons Wegmans has swapped large displays of traditional deli meats for 16 feet dedicated to charcuterie meats. Complimenting the meats is a cheese station with 400 cheeses.
“We want to highlight the variety of charcuterie,” Collalto said. “People love it.”
Many local businesses around the region are struggling, but Conte’s Bike Shop is taking advantage of a curious windfall for local bike stores to open a new Falls Church location on Friday (Oct. 30).
The new 3,800 square-foot shop at 1118 West Broad Street will include a bike fitting studio and performance testing.
“The store’s expansion comes at a time when bike shops across the country are experiencing an increase in demand for products due to the pandemic,” a spokesperson said in a press release. “Conte’s larger space will be better equipped to meet the needs of the community.”
The shop will offer bicycles from the Cannondale, Specialized, BMC, and Pinarello brands
“We are very excited to be in our new location,” says David Conte, co-owner of the company. “Our Conte’s Bike Shop team is ready to welcome back new and familiar faces. Along with being in a much more robust shopping center, our new space will neighbor Road Runner Sports. Having the two stores next door to each other will bring excellent symmetry for anyone who is outdoor-minded. We can’t wait to continue serving the Falls Church community in our expanded location.”
Photo via Conte’s Bike Shop/Facebook
Custom clothing brand Tailor on Tap will hold the grand opening of its showroom in Tysons Corner Center on Oct. 16.Â
The grand opening will be preceded by a private, invite-only event on Oct. 15 to celebrate the opening.
“I’m excited to bring our custom clothing options to Tysons Corner shoppers,” Adam D’Angelo, the founder and CEO of the company, said in a press release. “I founded Tailor on Tap to provide high-end, tailor-made clothing to anyone from college students and athletes to young professionals. Our new showroom allows them a chance to meet with stylists, browse fabrics, and create their unique pieces in comfort and style.”
There will be different promotions running throughout the grand opening, according to the release. The first 50 shoppers to enter the store on Friday will receive free gift bags with a value of more than $100. Additionally, shoppers who spend more than $749 will receive a free custom blazer.
The brand was founded in Pittsburgh, Penn. in 2018 by four college students. Their showroom claims to offer the “comfort of home,” while letting customers browse dozens of fabrics, threads, and buttons with the help of their own personal style consultant, according to the release.
The showroom is located in BrandBox on Level 1 of Tysons Corner Center. Operating hours will go from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m., or by appointment with a style consultant.
Photo courtesy of Tailor on Tap
As Conte’s Bike Shop celebrates its 5-year anniversary in Falls Church, the company announced it will be relocating to a larger location nearby.
The new location will be located at 1118 West Broad Street and open around Oct. 1, according to co-owner Wayne Souza.
It will include 3,767 square feet of space, which is significantly larger than its current location, Souza said.
“We needed a larger location because we needed more retail floor space, a larger service area and we took the opportunity to build the regions most state of the art fit studio,” he said. “We didn’t have the ability to grow where we were.”
Conte’s Bike Shop serves customers with a variety of skill levels, according to Souza.
Since the pandemic, locations across the area have been experiencing increased demand for products, the website said.
Though the store originated in the Virginia Beach area, Conte’s Bike Shop has locations around D.C. and Maryland too.
Once it is safe, the new Falls Church studio plans on celebrating the grand opening by hosting group bicycle rides around the area, Souza said, adding that the shop will be looking to USA Cycling for best practices regarding the health and safety of participants.
The hours of operation will be the same.
According to the Facebook page, people can stop by the store from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on Saturdays and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sundays.
Looking toward the future, Souza said that they are considering expansions for other locations as well.
Photo via Conte’s Bike Shop/Facebook
Crumbl Cookies, a gourmet cookie delivery and takeout business, is opening in the Town of Vienna next week.Â
The cookie business recently announced it plans to celebrate its new location at 203 Maple Ave. E with a grand opening next Thursday, Sept. 3. The next day, they will be offering free delivery all day with orders placed on Friday, Sept. 4. Customers can place orders through the Crumbl Cookie app or on their website.Â
“We’re excited to bring Crumbl to Vienna and hope the local residents love these cookies as much as we do,” said Jason McGowan, the co-founder and CEO of Crumbl Cookies.
In each Crumbl store, cookies are mixed, baked and prepared fresh by staff in an open kitchen for customers to watch.Â
“Having our customers see every cookie being made is one of the best experiences of our stores,” said Sawyer Hemsley, the co-founder and chief operating officer of Crumbl Cookies.
The store features four different specialty cookies each week in addition to two favorites, warm chocolate chip and chilled sugar cookie. Some of the specialty flavors include Muddy Buddy, Biscoff Lava, Funfetti, Snickerdoodle and more. The store also offers cold milk and gourmet ice cream to order on the side.Â
Crumbl will be open from 8 a.m. until 10 p.m. on weekdays and until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. The store is closed on Sundays.Â
“Nothing beats biting into a warm, delicious cookie that has been delivered straight to your door,” said Melanie Bunker, the owner of the Vienna location. “We’re really excited to bring this experience to Virginia.”
Photo via Crumbl Cookies/Facebook
SHOTTED Specialty Coffee is serving drinks from its new home in Tysons Corner Center.
The coffee shop originally had a kiosk on level two. Two weeks ago, SHOTTED held its grand opening for its kiosk on the first level outside Barnes and Noble.
The coffee shop has been active in the D.C. area, from supporting local Saudi student clubs to serving up pistachio lattes at the Embassy of Saudi Arabia, according to its Instagram.
People who stop by the new location in Tysons Corner Center can try a Spanish latte, which is usually sweeter than traditional lattes.
Photo via SHOTTED/Facebook
Dogs in Falls Church will soon have a new daycare destination with the upcoming arrival of Dogtopia.Â
The daycare, boarding and spa service for dogs plans to open soon at 108 W. Jefferson Street in Falls Church. The business has more than 90 locations across the U.S. and Canada, including one in Tysons near the Spring Hill Metro station.
The business initially planned to open earlier this summer, but pushed the opening due to construction and economic factors. Now, they hope to finish construction by the end of September and open in early October.Â
Not only does the business work to care for dogs, but they also want to make an impact on the community.
“We have this awesome foundation that we work with and we do truly believe in always giving back to our community,” Cat Michael, the general manager of Dogtopia of Falls Church, said.
First, they are raising money to provide a service dog to local veterans. Second, they are looking to set up employment opportunities for adults with autism. Lastly, they want to raise funds to help the youth literacy programs across the country.Â
They are currently pairing up with Settle Down Easy Brewing Co. in Falls Church every Thursday night of September to raise money toward their first goal of providing a service dog to local veterans.
“We are currently fundraising to hopefully train to place one dog by the time we open in a veteran’s home in the Falls Church community,” Dogtopia of Falls Church’s Owner Jim Hannesschlager said.
The upcoming location also wants to keep the community safe. To combat COVID-19, Dogtopia Falls Church installed an HVAC air filtering system. They plan to deep clean and sanitize every room with pet-friendly sanitizer to maintain cleanliness while keeping pets safe from harsh chemicals.
The location will also offer contactless pet drop-off and aim to eliminate possibilities of cross-contamination of pet belongings.Â
Dogtopia is offering a Founders Program for two weeks leading up to the opening. People who sign up will receive two weeks of unlimited daycare prior to the grand opening, according to their website. This offer is available for the first 50 dogs registered.
Photos by Michelle Goldchain, image by Katie Runnerstrom
A woman- and veteran-owned business selling bath and body products is coming to Tysons Corner Center.
BrookieGirl Bath + Body Care plans to hold its grand opening at 6 p.m. on Friday at the mall.
BrookieGirl sells a variety of bath bombs, hand sanitizer, body wash, hand soap, beard oil and more. The collections offered online include men’s products; hand sanitizers; the “Soap Dessert” collection with soap shaped like cupcakes, macarons and cake; and several gift baskets.
The company currently lists two Maryland stores — one in National Harbor and another in Annapolis — on its website.
Photo via BrookieGirl Bath + Body Care/Facebook